Mississippi State CB Johnthan Banks' confidence is up, but his NFL draft stock is down

Mar. 3, 2013

Written by

Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

Confidence is one thing among young players. Cockiness is another. Calling out Calvin Johnson? Crazy, plain and simple.

That's the category Mississippi State cornerback Johnthan Banks has entered after al.com published a report Saturday quoting him saying recently at the NFL combine: "I think I can play against anybody. I can own anybody. I think I can cover Megatron."

Brashness is the coin of the realm among corners at the combine. But this might have crossed the line, considering Johnson just broke Jerry Rice's single-season NFL record for receiving yards -- and Banks' draft stock dropped in some pundits' eyes after a less-than-stellar combine.

And that's where it could get interesting for Banks and the Lions.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper moved Banks down one spot to No. 4 among cornerback prospects. Banks also dropped out of the top-32 prospect rankings by ESPN's Scouts Inc. And NFL.com analyst Mike Mayock dropped Banks from No. 3 to outside of the top five among his corner prospects.

If the Lions don't draft Alabama corner Dee Milliner with the fifth overall pick and they keep the fourth pick in the second round of next month's draft, Banks might be available to them.

Banks still could improve his stock -- and likely will have to answer for his Megatron statement -- at Mississippi State's pro day Wednesday.